I Want You Now
by ForksPixie
Summary: I'm With The Band Contest Entry. Edward has secretly loved Bella since he first met her at ASU School of Music. Will he finally have the courage to tell her how he feels on the Acoustic Open Stage at Fiddler's Dream Coffee House? AH/OOC


**I'm with the Band O/S Contest via Wayward Pushers**

**Prompt Used: **#4 "Where words fail, music speaks."

**Rating: ****M**

**Pairing: ****Edward/Bella**

**Genre: ****Romance/Angst**

**Summary: **Edward has secretly loved Bella since he first met her at ASU school of Music. Will he finally have the courage to tell her how he feels on the Acoustic Open Stage at Fiddler's Dream Coffee House? AH/OOC

**Disclaimer: **All characters are the property of Stephenie Meyer. Twilight fan fiction is intended solely for the enjoyment of the readers. No copyright infringements are intended. Any original story directions and plot lines herein are the property of the author.

**Music:** 'Whisper' by Evanescence and 'I Want You Now' by Depeche Mode.

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**A/N:** This was a really fun o/s to write. I wasn't one of the winners, but I got a chance to write something different. I hope you like it. *hugs*

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**I Want You Now**

_I saunter forward, taking a step towards her as she takes a step back. My eyes rake over her body, leaving no glorious curve unseen. I lick my lips and my nose flares, taking in her intoxicating scent. I have wanted her for so long that I deliberately take each step slowly, relishing in the moment when I finally make her mine. "Edward," she breathes my name and the sound echoes in my ears. Her eyes are hooded as she too takes in my naked body. She stops her movements when she finally reaches the edge of the bed. As if in slow motion, I wrap my arms around her waist, pulling her body flush against mine, my hard cock throbbing against her flat stomach. She gasps for air from the lust she is feeling, her chest rising and falling. My eyes transfixed on her perfect breasts and my mind contemplates the many ways I will make her scream my name as I worship each beautiful, pink nipple. "Please…," she begs. My eyes move to stare into her deep chocolate eyes that plead with me to take her and quench the ache that is now centered in her delicious pussy that is so wet, waiting for my touch. I pause, taking pleasure in her need for only a moment before crushing my lips to hers – _

"Mr. Cullen… Mr. Cullen, please answer the question?"

"Excuse me, sir?" I shake my head from the fantasy and silently pray that no one notices the embarrassing predicament in my pants. "Could you repeat the question?"

"Mr. Cullen, if you will not be attentive in class then I suggest you not bother to show up at all," Professor Keating scolds as he turns to walk to the front of the large auditorium. "Define _bridge_," he growls before turning back to stare at me with contempt from under his dark rimmed glasses.

"Bridge is the transitional passage connecting two sections of a composition, also transition," I begin, pausing to think. I can feel all eyes on me and I'm horrified that I was caught daydreaming again. "Also, bridge is the part of a stringed instrument that holds the strings in place and transmits their vibrations to the resonant body of the instrument."

"Very well," he is not pleased, but can not find fault in my response. "As Mr. Cullen has said, bridge is…"

I stop listening and rub my face with the palms of my hands before adjusting the bulge that is still straining against the zipper of my pants. This has to stop. I can not continue fantasizing about Bella. It has become all-consuming. I can't think of anything else except having her in my arms, of telling her how I feel. I have been in love with her since the first time I laid eyes on her at orientation two years ago.

"_Hi. Is this seat taken?" Her beautiful bell-like voice immediately touches my ears and marks my heart_

"_No. Be my guest," I say motioning to the open seat. I watch her sit and begin to rummage through her messenger bag for a pen._

"_I'm Bella Swan," she smiles at me while placing her bag under her seat._

"_Nice to meet you, Bella," I offer her my hand and as she takes it in hers, I am forever lost in the feel of her touch. "I'm Edward Cullen."_

Bella and I are both music majors at Arizona State University School of Music. We have practically every class together and share a love for music expression. We immediately hit it off. We often walk together through campus, talking and when the occasion calls for it, we prefer each other's company when it comes to studying and lab partners.

Now you may ask why I haven't hit that? _That… _has a boyfriend - a very large, Neanderthal of a man, named Jacob. He loves her, but not nearly as much as I do. He values car mechanics and his _pack_ of friends above everything else, including Bella. Jacob's lack of attention has made me the shoulder that Bella runs to cry on.

"Hello?" The phone rings and I'm not surprised by the call on a Friday night.

"_Edward…," she sniffles and I'm sure she's been crying – again. "Are you busy?"_

"What's wrong, Bella?" I'm sure it's another incident with the boyfriend. I wish I didn't have to be there to pick up the pieces, but I'm too far gone to end the charade and assert myself. So, I continue to be the friend that's always around when she needs me. "Are you crying?"

"_Yeah...,"she hiccups. "I don't want to stay home alone… can you meet me at Fiddler's?"  
_

"Sure, Bella," I say, sadly. "Anything for you."

"_Thank you, Edward." A sob breaks through. "You're the best. I'll be there in an hour."_

"See you there."

"_Bye."_

"Bye."

I've lost count of how many Friday and Saturday nights I've met up with Bella at Fiddler's after she was stood up by the boyfriend. Fiddler's Dream Coffee House in Phoenix is the place to be for any music major or aspiring musician. The stage is open to anyone that wants to belt out a tune or play their heart out. The place is cozy and warm. No mic, no place to plug in, just you and your instrument before an audience of other musicians, a haven for acoustic performances.

It's always the same. She shows up with her guitar case, determined to let out her frustrations with a song or two. Tonight Bella is letting it all out with her rendition of 'Whisper' by Evanescence, her voice a mixture between Sarah McLachlan and Amy Lee. No one makes a sound. The coffee house is frozen with the exception of every soul pulsing with the sound of her voice. Even the angels in Heaven have stopped to listen to this fallen angel who is opening her heart before a group of friends and strangers. Everyone transfixed, they recognize greatness when they hear it…

_Catch me as I fall  
Say you're here, and it's all over now  
Speaking to the atmosphere  
No one's here, and I fall into myself  
This truth drives me into madness  
I know I can stop the pain, if I will it all away  
If I will it all away..._

I sit back and sigh. Only I know that things could be so different with us. Only I know that she would find happiness with me and I would worship the ground she walked on. But I can never find the words to tell her how I feel. I can never bring myself to make her choose. What if her choice isn't me? I would lose her forever and having her in my life is as vital to me as the air I breathe.

Weeks pass and our friendship is constant, nothing changes for her as my love grows. She has become the center of my world and the more absent her boyfriend continues to be, the more time we spend together. We are now regulars at the coffee house. She brings her guitar every time and her performances are now packing the house. Whispers can be heard throughout the campus on any given Friday, _"Hey, I heard Bella will be at Fiddler's tonight."_ Everyone anticipates her appearance, knowing that when she begins to sing, her voice will bring them closer to Heaven. Bella no longer calls ahead of time to ask me to meet her there. She has taken my presence for granted. She expects me to be there and knows I always sit in the back to watch.

It's Friday night again and I'm dressed battling with my feelings once again. I'm standing in front of the mirror trying to grow a set of balls. I can't keep being there for Bella while I ignore the pain that it's causing me. I have to either move on with my life, perhaps find someone else to fill the void, or just finally come out and declare my love for her - letting the chips fall where the may. I'm not ready to come out and tell her I love her. So, I'm going to stay home and hope that she misses me. Maybe if she realizes that she needs me, she'll see that I'm the one for her.

The time passes slowly. I've watched two movies, drank too many beers and can't play another minute of Crackdown on my Xbox. I'm pissed off, I'm drunk, and waiting around is only adding to my fuming mood. I give up. She hasn't called yet. Why keep waiting for it to happen? I've been fooling myself in to believing she cared whether I was there or not. I stand to get ready for bed when the phone rings. I practically throw myself across the room, rummaging through my pants on the floor to find my phone.

"Hello," I say, breathless.

"_Edward, are you okay?" I can hear the worry in Bella's voice. _

"Yeah, I'm fine." I can hardly hold back the sarcasm. "Why do you ask?"

"_I waited all night for you to show up. When I didn't hear from you, I began to worry."_

"Why do care, Bella?" I hate the anger in my voice, but I just can't seem to rein it in.

"_Why are you so angry?"_

"I don't know." Of course I know. I'm angry at myself not at her. I'm being a prick because I don't have the courage to just tell her how feel. So instead, I push her away. I behave like the boy on the playground that pulls the pony-tail of the little girl he likes and makes her cry.

"_Edward, I don't understand. What did I do to make you mad?"_

"Nothing, forget it," I huff, running my fingers through my hair trying to calm down. "Why were you waiting for me?"

"_I needed my friend." Great. I can hear that she's begun to cry. I really am a prick. "I broke up with Jacob," she sniffles. "It's over." _

"I'm sorry, Bella," I say with sympathy, and I mean it. I'm not sorry they broke up, but I'm sorry she's heart-broken. "Is there anything I can do?"

"_No, thank you. It was a long time coming. I'm just sorry that I wasted so much of my time and effort on a relationship that could never work." I could hear the conviction in her voice. "I just called to make sure you were okay."_

"I'm fine."

"_Good. I'll talk to you later."_

"Sure"

"_Bye."_

"Goodnight, Bella."

I can't really say exactly what has changed in the dynamic of our friendship, but it has certainly changed. We spend less and less time together. Her presence at the coffe house is less frequent. We hardly speak when we're together and it's an uncomfortable silence until we eventually give each other a sad smile and say good-bye before going our separate ways. I don't know what has changed for Bella, but for me it's the inability to finally just come out and say the words. The three words that can either break us or make _us. _

I sit alone in my apartment. I have been tinkering on the piano for the last hour. I can't concentrate. A song is replaying in my head, a song that would be perfect if I played it for her, a song that would express how I feel since my words seem to fail.

I pick up the phone and dial her number, determined to end the torture.

_"Hello"_

"Bella," I rush through my request, afraid that if given the chance, I'll lose my courage. "Meet me at the coffee house in thirty minutes."

_"Okay," she drawls, confused by my assertiveness. "What's going on, Edward?"_

"Just do it." I hang up and rush around the apartment getting ready. I finally grew some balls. Let's hope I don't end up eating them if she hates what I plan to do and cuts them off to stuff them down my throat.

I reach the coffee house and sign my name to the list of performer's scheduled for the Acoustic Open Stage. I've never performed at the coffee house before and I can see the regulars, made up of my peers from school, leaning into each other, whispering their approval. I'm well-known on campus for my musical talent, but I rarely perform outside of what is required for my classes. Singing and playing is spiritual for me and I need to be inspired. Tonight, I'm inspired.

I stand on the stairs that lead to the stage, guitar in hand, my eyes fixed on the door. I won't go on until she walks in. I watch her come inside. She searches the crowd, expecting me to be seated amongst the patrons. I walk on stage, take my seat on the stool and begin the first cords to the song. Still standing by the door, she looks up at me. Her eyes widen in surprise. I give her a small nod to let her know that this is all for _her…_

_I want you now  
Tomorrow won't do  
There's a yearning inside  
And it's showing through  
Reach out your hands  
And accept my love  
We've waited for too long  
Enough is enough  
I want you now_

She's stunned and I can see the realization begin to dawn on her. As she moves a few steps forward, I smile and try to convey my love for her with each word I sing.

_My heart is aching  
My body is burning  
My hands are shaking  
My head is turning  
Do you understand  
It's so easy to choose  
We've got time to kill  
We've got nothing to lose  
I want you now  
_

She shakes her head, confused, but a smile begins to play at the corner of her mouth. She can't help but see the meaning behind each word.

_And I don't mean to sound  
Like one of the boys  
That's not what I'm trying to do  
I don't want to be  
Like one of the boys  
I just want you now _

She has gracefully moved through the crowd to the front of the stage and is staring deep into my eyes. The room has disappeared. No one else exists; it's only Bella and I left in the world as I declare my love. She lays her hand over her heart, trying to calm the raging beats as it hammers loudly in her chest.

_Because I've got a love  
A love that won't wait  
A love that is growing  
And it's getting late  
Do you know what it means  
To be left this way  
When everyone's gone  
And the feelings they stay  
I want you now_

The applause sounds far away and slows as if time stood still and the clock has allowed us the moment we needed to finally get it together. We both walk towards the end of the stage, our eyes never leaving the other. She stops as I make my way to the bottom of the staircase.

I saunter forward, taking a step toward her as she takes a step back. My eyes rake over her body, leaving no glorious curve unseen. I have wanted her for so long that I deliberately take each step slowly, relishing in the moment when I finally make her mine. "Edward," she breathes my name and the sound echoes in my ears. She stops her movements when I reach her at the bottom of the stairs. As if in slow motion, I wrap my arms around her waist, pulling her body flush against mine_. _She gasps for air from the emotions she is feeling, her chest rising and falling. My eyes now transfixed on her perfect face. "Please…," she begs. My eyes move to stare into her deep chocolate eyes that plead with me to kiss her. I pause, taking pleasure in finally having her in my arms before crushing my lips to hers.

And it was all like a daydream that finally came true.


End file.
